July 27, 2010

  • MEN CAN DRIVE YOU BONKERS !

    Men are nuts!  Today our weather is supposed to be less brutal (maybe mid-90's at the highest) plus there is a chance of more rain.  It rained several times during the night.  I know because the dog woke me up so he could go out.  I swear, that animal knew the rain had stopped and took the opportunity to do his business.  The grass can't be cut even if the Beast was in the mood to do it because of the rain.  I suggested the sun and heat would dry it off by this afternoon so he could probably cut the grass in back when the sun got behind the trees at the west edge of the yard.  No!  He says it will still be too hot.  So what does he choose to do today?  He went to the gun range.  ***Insert eyeroll here***

    Sheesh!  Even if where he shoots from is covered, he still will be making trips out to the targets to both put them up, move them further away and checking accuracy.  Yeah, that's the ticket.  Stay out in the heat for a couple hours.  I have no pity for him.

    Sure enough!  When he got home, the first thing out of his mouth was, *OMG, I couldn't take the heat!  It got so hot under the overhang, I couldn't stand it anymore.*  He then proceeded to drink about four big glasses of ice water.  This is because he ignores me when I tell him to take some Gatorade with him whenever he goes to the range.  He never does, of course.  But, what do *I* know?

    He's tickled that Tara's sons are back from visiting with their father.  He's anxious to take the older of the two boys to the gun range to teach him how to shoot.  Once he's sure the kid can use a weapon, he plans on taking him hunting.  First during Turkey Season and then Deer Season.  From what Tara has said, my grandnephew is very excited about it.  Just what the world needs.....two inexperienced hunters.  One, an old man and the other a hormonal teenage boy.    It's going to be a very interesting fall season around here, don't you think?

    The Beast actually asked me if there was something I wanted for the house.    You could have knocked me over with a feather.  I told him that besides the freezer, I would love to have a rain barrel.  I wish you could have seen the look on his face.  I told him where I want it and why.  I want to collect rain water and use it for a garden.  I can attach a trickle hose to it and water it with the rain water.  I think it's much better since it doesn't contain fluoride or chlorine.  Plus, I have fond memories of being at a friend's parents cabin years ago and using the rain barrel water on our hair.  It may not really be wonderful for your hair but the memory will always make me smile.  I want to introduce my great-granddaughter to a few things I know her mother would never consider.

    I want to teach her about a garden and how to find and pick out weeds.  I want her to see me canning foods and, when she is a bit bigger, to help.  I think the Princess remembers the time I had her helping me and how we counted all the *clicks* as the jars started to cool and sealed.  She wanted me to make some salsa and I did but it wasn't the same as she remembered.  I don't think I told her that I forgot one ingredient and that one made all the difference.  Next time I do it, she will love it.  The salsa I made and canned was good but what she wanted would make you stop buying commercial salsa.  Trust me.  Especially if you like yours with a *kick* to it.  Mine will make you sweat without burning your mouth.  Shhhhh!  It's a secret I discovered by accident. 

    When we lived in Port Charlotte, I didn't have a normal garden.  I had two earth boxes, one of which I used for three tomato plants.  I had bush beans and two different types of peppers.  One was green pepper and the other banana peppers.  In a large regular pot, I grew jalapeno peppers.  All my plants were out on a special platform just outside our patio.  I ended up with so many tomatoes it was shocking.

    The Earth Boxes, when prepared properly, are incredible.  I was glad I bought extra *covers* (which help keep weeds out of them plus it keeps the water from evaporating).  My neighbor was growing both cucumbers and pickling type cukes.  He provided enough cukes for me to pickle some and they were wonderful.  His wife had also purchased earth boxes and he lamented the fact that it seemed they would never stop producing.  His wife didn't can and wasn't interested.  I gave him some of what I had prepared (salsa, pickles, pickled peppers and some spaghetti sauce).  It was the least I could do for his contributions.   

    I bought Baron one of those toys they advertise on TV.  You know the ones....no messy stuffing, dog can chew on it, has squeakers in the head and tail.  Baron went apeshit with it.  He just loves it and is running around the house wildly, plopping down and then finding one of the squeakers and biting down on it.  He wants us to toss it up in the air for him and you should see him jump to catch it.  Then he runs away with it, finds himself a private spot and starts squeaking it.  It was well worth the $10. I paid for it.  I was just glad that Walmart had them.  Chewlee decided the fox one was the one Baron would like the best so that is what we got.

    By the time I picked up some of the things I needed from Walmart and we were headed home, it was actually time for the Princess to pick up Chewlee.  I kind of hoped she had to close the store (it closes at 6:30pm) because that would mean she wouldn't leave work until 6:45pm and would give Chewlee some time to enjoy being at my house.  She DOES love it here.  We got here and no Princess so she helped () bring in the bags of food and then I had to fix her some Beefaroni.  After she ate that, she got her popsicle and her juice while she visited with Papa for a bit.  I was told to *go to my room*.    I went gladly because I always end up with hips and back hurting when I take her shopping with me.  Part of it is her weight and lifting her up into the cart gets tougher all the time.  Then her added weight to the cart makes it more of a strain so there goes my back and hips.

    Bringing in the groceries is just another burden since the Beast wouldn't get up off his butt to help.  I was almost nauseous by the time I did that and had to go sit down for a bit before I could finish doing what I needed to get everything put away.  Heck, Chewlee was more help since she grabbed the juice and put it in the pantry for me and that was a chore for her.  They aren't light.  She knew where they went, though.  She pays attention.

    It rained when I went to pick up Chewlee from preschool.  Not a drizzle; it rained hard!  It was raining a bit lighter at Walmart's when we got there so we got inside without being washed away or wet down too much.  No thunder and lightning but it sure helped drop the temperature.  It went down to just 77 degrees so that was great.  At least it made the end of the day comfortable.

    Time to get this ready for liftoff now that I have my internet back once again.  Love you all and hope you have a great day.  Be sure to throw around a few smiles.  You'll find out they are catching.